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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. kick — in football
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fall — to drop
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com